Water-heater.



A. FORSYTH.

WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1913.

Patented May 25, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. FORSYTH.

WATER HEATER. APPLICATION FILQED MAY n, 1913.

l m fiu Patented May 25, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATE PATENT @FFTTCE.

ADELBERT FORSYTH, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 MILWAUKEE- RELIANCE BOILER WORKS, 0E MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

WATER-HEATER.

atisse.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Application filed May 17, 1913. Serial No. 768,263.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Aonnnnn'r FoRsY'rH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water- Heaters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereqf.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical and effective waterheater, the same being capable of adjustment, whereby the heating capacityis varied to meet the requirements of supply, the said heater being particularly designed for use in, supplying hot water to ofiice or flat buildings, although it is understood that it is of general utility.

The arrangement and construction of the heater is such that water at normal temperature is admitted to the lower compartment of a tank, from which compartment it rises through a series of tubes to an upper compartment co-incident to its being heated. Steam is admitted to the upper portion of an intermediate or flue compartment of the tank, at which point it comes in direct contact with the discharge ends of the tubes and the water of condensation from the steam supply is permitted to fill the flue compartment to a predetermined elevation. Thus it is apparent that the cold-water entering the Water to radua-lly to its highest level.

tubes from the bottom compartment is first heated by the water of condensation at this point, which water is at a temperature slightly higher than that of the water to be heated, whereby sudden contact between high and low temperatures is avoided. The be heated is thereafter gradually increased in tem erature as it rises up through the tubes y heat from the water of condensation, which temperature increases Above the evel of the water of condensation the supply water is heated by the steam as said water gradually rises through the tubes. Hence in its upward travel to the discharge chamber the said supply of water is gradually heated to a degree corresponding to the temperature of the steam at the upper end of the tube compartment, it being understood that although it is preferable to utilize exhaust steam for supplying the heat, it is within-the scope of my invention to utilize live steam if desired. The heated water is thereafter discharged in the usual manner to supply pipes that are connected to the tank.

The water of condensation is maintained upon a predetermined fixed level by an adjustable float mechanism, which mechanism controls a discharge valve at the bottom of the flue compartment, whereby the water of condensation is exhausted only after all of the available heat therein has been utilized. It follows that to increase the capacity of the heater the elevation of the water of condensation is lowered whereby a greater volume of steam may be utilized for supplying heat to the greater volume of water as it travels through the tank. Furthermore by the arrangement described it is apparent that extreme variations in temperature between the water-supply and heating elements are avoided and hence the connection between the supply tubes and heads of the chambers are rendered less liable to leakage through expansion and contraction.

With the above objects in view the invention consists in what is hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a water heater embodying the features of my invention; Fig. 2, a detailed cross-section of a float mechanism for controlling the level of water of condensation, which water is utilized as one of the heating elements, and Fig. 3, an elevation of another form of my invention with parts broken away and parts in section to lllllS- trate structural features.-

Referring by characters to the drawings, 1 represents a vertical tank, the ends of which are closed by upper and lower heads 2, 3, respectively, the lower head belng provided with feet 3 for the support of the tank. At a predetermined distance from the upper head 2 and secured to the walls of the tank is a flue sheet 4, there being a corresponding flue-sheet 4: similarly secured to the shell of the tank at a predetermined dlstance from the lower head 3, by which arrangement an upper delivery chamber 5 is formed and a lower receiving chamber 6. The flue-sheets are connected by a series of tubes 7 whereby communication is established between the upper and lower chambers. Thus it will be seen that the tank proper 1s divided into upper and lower compartments and an in- Patented May 25, 31915.

to the delivery of steam thereto in order to prevent air-pocketing. Thus the upper part of the tube compartment constitutes a steam dome and the water of condensation from steam admitted thereto is permitted to fill the compartment to a predetermined level,

which level iscontrolled by an adjustable mechanism.

The mechanism for controllingthe level of the water of condensation comprises a condensation pipe 12 which communicates with the tube compartment adjacent to its lower end and an equalizer pipe 13 that communicates with the upper portion of said compartment. These pipes are formed with right-angle extensions which'are alined and terminate with unions 14, 14' which unions form couplings for the pipe sections, pipe I section 15' being connected to the condensation pipe 12 and being of, a length considerably less than the pipe section 15 which is connected to the equalizer pipe. The pipe sections 15 and 15 communicate witha float casin 16 which casin as shown is dis-- posed upon the same approximate plane as the level of the water of condensation desired to be maintained within the flue compartment of the tank. The float-casing is provided with a hollow leg 16, into which is journaled a stud 17, one end of which extends out through a stuflin -box and has se cured thereto an arm 18. stud also carries an arm 18' which is disposed within the casin and has secured to its free end a float 19. t a point adjacent to the flue-sheet 4 or bottom of the flue-compartment a wastepipe 20 is fitted into the shell, whereby the water of condensation may be drawn ofi at the bottom of the compartment which is normally at a reduced temperature. This waste-pipe carries a controlling valve 20',

v the stem of which is connected to a lever 21,

which lever, in turn,-is secured to the arm 18 of the float mechanism by a rod .22 Hence it will be seen thatwhen the water of condensation rises to the level shown, this level will be maintained in' the-fioat-casing and, owin to the fact that in this position the float s not at suificient elevation to actuate valve 20, there will be no discharge of water through the waste pipe. Should the water-line in the tank rise, however, from I i this normal selected point, lifting .of the float will cause the valve 20 to open and thus permit the water of condensation to drain oil, whereby the selected level will be maintained, it being understood that when this level is reached it will permit the waste valve 20 to close.

Should it be desired to increase the volume of water of condensation it is apparent that the float casin and its pipe sections can be disconnected IOIIl the couplin s 14, 14. The float-casing is then reverse the pipe section 15 being secured to the coupling 14, while the long pipe section 15 is connected to the coupling 14'. Thus the position of the entire float-casing is raised, whereby the,

water level will be maintained at a corresponding line, it being apparent that in this instance the rod 22 which is shown in two parts is lengthened and. its

sections again secured by the lock-nut.

In the operation of'the apparatus water at normal temperature is admitted to the lower receiving chamber 6 and in entering the tubes is in indirect contactwith the water of condensation which at this point is also at a low temperature. Thus the supply of water will be slightly heated at this point and gradually increased in temperature as it rises within the tubes to the top level of the water of condensation, at which level said water is vat its highest temperature.

Thereafter the supply water. is increased in 0 Y 1 temperature as it travels through the tubes which are subjected to the heat of the steam and this heat increases toward the top of the dome or flue-head 4. Hence at the point of discharge into the delivery chamber 5 the temperature of the water has been increased to approximately the temperature of the steam adjacent to the flue-sheet, it 2pparent that the supply of water within e upper chamber is also heated by the If the supply of hot water is not-suflicient it is manifest that the said supply can readily be increased by lowering the level ofthe water of condensation so as to increase the area of the steam 'dome.

. Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings 1 have shown a heater embodying the features of my invention arranged. to be operated horlzontally, which horizontal arrangement, in some instances, is desirable. In-th1s modified form of my invention the tank 1 at its intake end is provid'e'd with a chamber or compartment 6, from whi compartment 'the'water passes through the dehvery flues ,7 to an intermediate com-'5 partment 23 at theopposite end' of the tank, and from this compartment the said water is passed through a "serie'sof return flues 7" to the dehvery chambers 5' and 6' are arran ed at of the tank and separated y a one end d1v1s1on chamberi5'. The delivery plate 24:. Steam is admitted to the flue compartment through pipe 10 and the supply of water is delivered to the receiving compartment 6 by means of a pipe 9", the said water being discharged from the tank through a pipe 9", that communicates with the compartment 5. The arrangement of the float mechanism in this instance is such that the pipe-sections 15 and 15' are in telescopic union with the condenser and equalizer pipes 12 and 13. Hence the floatcasing can be adjusted up or down to regulate the height of the water of condensation and after such adjustment the said floatcasing is held in its position by a collar 25, which is secured by a suitable set-nut, it being understood that the telescopic connections between the pipes are formed through suitable glands 26, 26".

I claim:

In a water heater having a steam pipe in communication with its top portion and a Water pipe in communication with its lower the upper portion of the heater, and a balancing steam pipe in communication with the upper portion of the heater, and a balancing water pipe in communication with the lower portion of said heater the discharge mouths of said pipes being alined bined length of said pipe sections and float being approximately equal to the space between the steam and water pipe with which they are adapted to be connected, coupling means for selectively locking the ends of the float pipe sections to theends of the steam and water pipes whereby the valve-casing is raised or lowered to predeterminedly regulate the water level within the heater, an oscillatory float mounted in the valve casing, an arm carried by the float, ajtwo part rod connecting the arm and valve of the water feed pipe, and meansfor locking the two part rod in adjusted positions as to length.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin in the presence of two witnesses.

ADELBERT FORSYTH.

Witnesses G120. W. YOUNG, M. E. DowNEY. 

